Airbus to test fly A350 CFRP panel on A340

Airbus said it attached a carbon fiber-reinforced plastic panel, standard in design to a future A350 fuselage panel, to an A340 test aircraft and will measure the structure's performance in flight. The 15 sq.m. structure was fitted in place of an existing A340 aluminium fuselage section on the flight test aircraft. Ensuing flight tests "are part of a three-week campaign to evaluate pressurised CFRP acoustic properties and to help fine-tune sound insulation for the A350 XWB cabin," Airbus said.

Airbus said it attached a carbon fiber-reinforced plastic panel, standard in design to a future A350 fuselage panel, to an A340 test aircraft and will measure the structure's performance in flight. The 15 sq.m. structure was fitted in place of an existing A340 aluminium fuselage section on the flight test aircraft. Ensuing flight tests "are part of a three-week campaign to evaluate pressurised CFRP acoustic properties and to help fine-tune sound insulation for the A350 XWB ...